Community Projects

Bike Club Barry

The Bike Club was first introduced at Ty Iolo play area through the Communities First programme. Unfortunately, it had stopped in 2020 due to the pandemic. The Community Investment team continued the successful partnership with Pedal Power (a local charity bike organisation based in Cardiff), officers from the charity were able to promote and run cycling sessions throughout the spring and summer. Bike Club sessions will be held every Tuesday from 4:00pm to 5:30pm with young children between the ages of 6-10 learning to ride a bike in a safe and friendly environment. Some of the feedback and comments from the participants include:

• 'I can now ride a bike unaided and have more confidence'
• 'I was so happy with the bike club initiative, my son got so much out of it thank you so much'
• 'My boy and girl can now ride a bike unaided and they have grown in confidence over the summer'

Mark Ellis, a Community Investment and Involvement Officer commented 'This is such a fantastic community project to manage. Seeing local children using their local outdoor open space to learn to ride a bike is amazing and links in with the Council's Climate Change policy.'

The annual picnic celebration event was held on Tuesday 1^st August at Crawshay Court, Llantwit Major. The sheltered housing complex is a scheme for older people and is run by Vale Homes.

 

The project is about working in partnership to support our local community, especially with the current cost of living crisis. Vale Homes in partnership with PCSO Rhiannon Cummings are able to provide support and advice to tenants and volunteers whilst working on the project. 

 

Vale Homes lead on this community project working with partners including Vale Plus Extra, Plant Llantwit, Ogi and local community volunteers. The garden project at Crawshay Court consists of growing fruits and vegetables for the tenants and members of the community as part of the Llantwit Major Food Access Project.

 

The event was held to recognise and thank all the volunteers that have been involved in setting up and maintaining the garden. Volunteers were presented with certificates of thanks at the event.

 

The picnic food was kindly donated by Ogi Wales who have been providing support to the project by volunteering in the garden and assisting with funding for the installation of the plastic bottle greenhouse.

 

Vale Plus Extra have been superstars and have worked tirelessly on the project to make it such a success. They have harvested peas, carrots, green beans, runner beans, beetroot, tomatoes, potatoes, courgettes, rosemary, radishes, lettuce, onions, spring onions, marrows and the produce is continuing to thrive.

 

All crops harvested have been utilised by the tenants at Crawshay Sheltered Housing Scheme, members of Vale Plus and local community volunteers and a lovely painting was drawn of the community garden that was presented at the event to display in the communal lounge.

 

Mark Ellis, the community gardens lead for the Community Investment team commented “This has been a long standing project since before Covid and the work that has gone on with partners in the past couple of years has been fantastic. A big thank you to everyone involved for making the garden look so amazing and beautiful.

A garden party was held at Crawshay Sheltered Housing Scheme to celebrate the successful intergenerational project between volunteers from Vale Plus Extra, tenants from the scheme at Llantwit Major and school children from Year 5, Ysgol y Ddraig. 

 

The volunteers have been working with Vale of Glamorgan Neighbourhood Policing Team throughout the Summer and Autumn.

 

The volunteers have done a fantastic job; planting, de-weeding, tidying, watering and making arts and crafts for the garden. Everyone has worked brilliantly together and enjoyed planting the seeds and watching it grow. Tenants have been able to take fruit and vegetables home and the Crawshay Sheltered Housing Scheme tenants have been enjoying produce at their weekly social afternoon teas.

 

The project aims to deter rogue traders from targeting vulnerable members of our community by assisting tenants and acting as community guardians, keeping an eye on residents in the Llantwit Major area.

 

 To mark the celebration the Mayor of Llantwit Major attended and presented certificates to the volunteers who have worked so hard to make the project a success.  Sheralee Baldwin, the scheme coordinator commented “It is so lovely to see the volunteers attending every week and making such a massive difference to the garden. I know I speak on behalf of all the tenants who really appreciate the hard work put in and the beautiful garden they look out on”.

 

A big thank you to the Big Fresh Catering Company who provided the amazing buffet that was enjoyed by over 80 people who attended the party.

Everyone's Garden Hosts Summer Event

After a successful season of activities at Everyone’s Garden, Home Education Wales in partnership with the Vale Homes Community Investment team hosted a summer event. The event was open to everyone and welcomed tenants and residents from the local area.

 

Everyone’s Garden was decorated in bunting and provided an opportunity for people to view the open space. The garden thanks to the support from Home Education Wales and other partners provides a place for people to take part in outdoor activities. Over the summer, a water bottle greenhouse has been installed along with a digital bench and mud kitchen. 

 

Fun activities on the day included the ever popular paint bike where children and adults ride a static bike creating lovely pictures via a rotating turntable. Children and adults also took part in duck racing and a scavenger hunt along with face painting and a magician entertained with balloon modelling being a favourite.

 

Burgers and Hot Dogs were supplied by Home Education Wales while refreshments and ice lollies were supplied by Vale Homes. The hot weather and blue skies meant for an excellent attendance.

 

Donna Rapley, a trustee of Home Education Wales and organiser of the event commented “It was lovely to see the garden hosting a wonderful event like this during the summer holidays and to see everyone attending having such a good time and enjoying the community garden”. 

 

A special thank you must go out to all the volunteers who helped out in the sunshine helping to get the community garden looking so fantastic. It was brilliant to see so many new children and families

turn up for the event.